Glassware annealing lehr



Dec. 5, 1939., F. E.. DoRsEY GLASSWARE ANNEALING LEHR 1957 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug.

53 In ven for:

Fran c 13112D0125@ Witness:

Q. Q. mm.

A 'orn egg.

?atented Dec. 5, 1939 GnAsswARE ANNEALING Lann Francis E. Dorsey,Hartford, Conn., assignor to Hartford-Empire Company, Hartford, Conn., acorporation of Delaware Application August 10,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to glassware annealing lehrs and has particularrelation to fireboxes arranged in heat exchanging relation with thetunnels of such lehrs.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a firebox ofthe type which is in heat exchanging relation with the lehr tunnel,including means of novel construction within the firebox for varying theheating of the tunnel by the lo :rebox without varying the total amountof heat generated in or by the rebox.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide a rebox of the abovetype containing means of novel construction for varying the heat- 35 ingeffect of the rebox on the adjacent portion of the lehr tunnel withoutvarying the heating eiect on other portions of the tunnel over themulfles or ues to which hot combustion gases are supplied by theiirebox.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be explained in orwill be apparent from the following description of the preferredembodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is aView in central vertical section of the front end portion of a lehr`showing the rebox and immediately adjacent structure, said view beingtaken on the line I-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,parts being broken away for clarity in illustration;

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 l of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is likewise a view in vertical transverse section taken on theline 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the lehr tunnel is indicatedgenerally at 6. The roof of E the tunnel is composed of refractorymaterial 1 backed by insulation 8 and metal sheathing 9.

Similarly the side walls II-II are built up from refractory material|2I2, insulation |3-l3 and metal sheathing I 4|4. It will be understoodthat only the hot end portion of the lehr is shown and that therefractory lining and insulation need not extend throughout the fulllength of the lehr, but may be terminated in the cooler zones thereof.

My invention has been illustrated in the drawings as it may be appliedto the lehr or type of lehr shown in the United States Patent to DonaldG. Merrill, No. 2,1333 84, granted October 18, 1938. The drawings anddescription are conned to such .I parts as are included in or directlyassociated 1937, .Serial No. 158,323

with my invention and further details of the general construction andoperation of the lehr may be ascertained by reference to'saidapplication.

Passing through the lehr tunnel is an openwork ware conveyor l 5 ofknown type which rides on spaced stationary supports I8 and over rollersIl, I8 and I9. Beneath the front end of the tunnel is rebox 2|. The top22 of the rebox may be composed of a series of refractory tiles of highheat conductivity spaced somevdistance below the conveyor. At the veryfront of the rebox is transverse combustion chamber 23 in which a flameis produced by burner 24 (Fig. 3) associated with port 24a located inone side of the 15 rebox at one end of the chamber 23. The hot gasesleave the chamber at its other end through outlet 25 and pass laterallyand longitudinally through the iirebox toward the rear or discharge endportion or space thereof indicated at 26. 20 The paths of the gases areindicated approximately by the arrows in Fig. 2.

In order to dilute the hot gases to the desired working temperature, airmay be admitted through ports 21-21 in the bottom of the rebox. Suitablevalves or dampers, as indicated at 21a, Fig` 2, may be associated withthe inlet ends-of these ports.

It will be understood from the description of the structure so farreferred to that the rebox Will heat the portion of the tunnel and theWare on the conveyor passing through such portion which is above the top22 of the rebox. In order to vary such heating, my invention includes alower passage or duct 28 through which more or less of the hot gases maybe diverted on their passage into the discharge end portion 26 of thefirebox. The sides 28a-28a and top 28h of this duct are formed ofsuitable refractory tile and the top 28b thereof is spaced from the top22 of the rebox. Therefore, such heat as passes into the lehr tunnelfrom the gases owing through the duct 28 is materially reduced becauseit must pass through twoA thicknesses of material and the space betweenthe top of the duct and the top of the rebox. A block 28e of refractorymaterial is located over the entrance end of duct 28 which assists indirecting the hot gases into said duct.

The diversion or by-passing of gases through duct 28 is controlled orregulated by dampers. 'I'he central damper 29 (Fig. 1) cooperates withthe discharge end of duct 28. At the sides of duct 28 are spaces orpassages 30-30 (Fig. 2) in which dampers 3I-3I operate to more or lessobstruct the flow of gases into the discharge end 26 of the rebox. Thesedampers 29 and 3l-3I are located near the exit end of duct 28, beingmounted on a horizontal transverse shaft 32 having a handle 33 on one ofits ends (Figs. 2 and 4) and for setting and holding the dampers 29 and3l-3I in the desired positions. The central damper 29 is fixed on theshaft 32 at a Btl-degree angle with respect to side dampers 3I3l.

Looking at Fig. 1, it will be seen that when damper 29 is down and theend of duct 28 is unobstructed, dampers 3l-3I will be up in position toobstruct the iiow of hot gases through spaces 30-30 past the sides ofthe duct, but when shaft 32 is turned counterclockwise, damper 29 willbe raised to obstruct the discharge opening of duct 28 and dampers3I--3l lowered toward non-obstructing positions in spaces 30-30. Dampers3l-3I are shown in Fig. 1 in positions at a slight angle beyond thevertical with their upper ends engaging a manifold or header 35,provided for a purpose hereinafter explained, extending approximatelythe full width of the irebox, as shown in Fig. 2. In such positions,dampers 3l-3l do not fully close spaces or passages 30-30 becauseopenings are left between them and the end of duct 28, as shownin Fig.l. Also, if the dampers 3I--3I are set in vertical position, spacesabove them and above the duct 28 exist through which a certain reducedflow of gases will be permitted (see Fig. 4). In either case, however,the major portion of the gases will flow through duct 28. It will beobvious that the dampers 28 and 3I-3I may be adjusted to diiferentangles to vary through a wide range the heating of that portion of thelehr tunnel which is over the rebox. It also will be understood thatirrespective of the positions of the dampers, the total quantity ofgases delivered from the firebox need not be varied, and therefore thetemperature condition in the lehr tunnel over the rebox may be variedwithout aiiecting the temperature in the lehr tunnel beyond the irebox.The hot gases, upon leaving the iirebox, enter longitudinally extendingues or muflies 36-36 located near the side walls and bottom of the lehrtunnel and below conveyor I5. See Figs. 2 and 5. These flues containflues 31-31 for air which is conducted therethrough to manifold 35 towhich ilues 31-31 are connected. A portion of this air is dischargedfrom the manifold 35 through jets 38 toward the front end of the lehr toprevent indraft through the entrance; the remainder of the air is takenoi through longitudinally extending pipes 39-39 having nozzles 40 atintervals along their lengths for directing jets of air laterallybetween partitions BI on the bottom of the tunnel toward the side wallsof the lehr. The flow of air through jets 38 is controlled by valves42-42 which are adjusted by means indicated at 42m-42a (Figs. 2 and 4).Such arrangement of flues and jets is for the purpose of controlling thetemperature and the circulation of air in the lehr tunnel in the desiredmanner and as explained more fully in the application of Donald G.Merrill referred to above. However, it is to be understood that myinvention is not limited to use with the specic arrangement of flues andjets illustrated and described, but may be employed in any type of lehrwhich is adapted to be heated by a flrebox which. serves to directlyheat the lehr tunnel. Such a rebox may be referred to as a muflie ormullie type of flrebox.

Various changes in the construction and operation of the illustratedembodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the scopeof the claims.-

What I claim is:

1. In a glassware annealing lehr, a firebox having a portion thereof inheat exchanging relation with the tunnel of said lehr, said portion ofthe v iirebox being heated by contact of gases of combustion therewith,and means for varying the application of heat to said tunnel by saidportion of the firebox comprising a duct extending through said rebox,and means for diverting a substantial portion of said gases oicombustion through said duct.

2. In a glassware annealing lehr, a iirebox having a wall common to awall of the tunnel of the lehr for the application of heat from thefirebox to the lehr tunnel, said Wall being heated by gases ofcombustion in said rebox, a duct in said iirebox for diverting the flowof such gases of combustion away from said wall, and means for varyingthe flow of gases through said duct.

3. In a glassware annealing lehr, a iirebox of the mufile type arrangedin heat exchanging relation with a portion of said tunnel, meanscommunicating with said rebox for heating another portion of saidtunnel, and means within the firebox for varying the heating of saidfirst named portion of the lehr tunnel independently of the heating ofthe ysecond named portion of said tunnel.

4. In a glassware annealing lehr, a firebox of the muille type in heatexchanging relation with a portion of the tunnel of said lehr, fluescommunicating with, and adapted to receive hot gases from, said fireboxfor heating another portion of said tunnel, a duct within'said iirebox,and means for diverting a portion of the hot gases produced in saidirebox through said duct to reduce the heating of the first namedportion of said lehr independently of the heating of the second namedportion of said lehr.

5. In a glassware annealing lehr, a iirebox of the mule type arranged inheat exchanging relation with a portion of the lehr tunnel, said reboxhaving a combustion chamber at one end and a discharge space at theother end thereof, a duct interposed between said chamber and saiddischarge space, and a damper associated with said duct for regulatingthe flow of hot gases between said combustion chamber and said dischargespace.

6. In a glassware annealing lehr, a rebox haying a wall common to a wallof the lehr tunnel, a combustion chamber in one end of said firebox, adischarge space at the other end of'said rebox,

a duct spaced from said wall and extending longitudinally between saidchamber and said discharge space, spaces at the sides of said duct forthe passage of hot gases along the sides thereof in heat exchangingrelation to said wall, and dampers associated with said duct and saidside spaces for diverting more or less of the hot gases produced in saidflrebox through said duct to vary the amount of heat applied to saidlehr tunnel through said common wall.

FRANCIS E. DORSEY.

